Be Not Conformed: What Romans 12:2 Really Means for You

Hello and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick. Ready to go back with another look at Romans chapter 12? For those of you joining us on television, in case you've never caught our program before, we're just an informal Bible study, and we just like to search the Scriptures, compare Scripture with Scripture, and see what it really says, and I don't expect everyone to agree with me, but we trust that I do get everyone to at least see what it says. And as I've said so often, it's just as important to see what it does not say, as what it says. Because a lot of us have preconceived notions, we may have heard it years ago, of what it says, and it's just not in there. And so this is our only hope, is that we can get folks to see what the Book says, to study it, to read it, to enjoy it, and to profit spiritually from it. Again, I want to thank all of our television listeners for your letters. My, I want you to know that I personally open every letter, I personally read them at least twice, some of them even more than that, and I wish I could answer every one, but that of course is impossible. I do good just answering the ones that have direct questions. But if you have a question, feel free to write to me, and I will certainly do my best to get back to you. Okay, now let's go right back to where we left off at the end of the last program, where we were in Romans chapter 12, now verse 2. And remember Paul has just made the plea, I beseech you therefore by the mercies of God, to present your bodies, not your soul, but your body, the flesh and blood that we operate in, as wholly acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable, logical, practical service. We're not under a mandate of law, we're not under rules and regulations, but we respond as the Holy Spirit leads us in our life of service, in our testimony, and in everything. Now in verse 2 Paul says, Romans 2. Now the word conformed I always like to explain the best way. Most of you at least have seen your wife, if you haven't done it yourself, pour that hot jello into a jello mold, and once that jello sets, it's going to be just exactly the shape of that mold. Those who are in foundry work of course do much the same thing with steel. It's molded. Well once it's molded, it's set, and that's the way it is. Now this is exactly the analogy that Paul is saying, don't be poured into Satan's mold. Oh he has one ready for you, absolutely he does. He's the God of this world as we've seen over and over, and in our closing remarks in the last half hour, the world lieth in the lap of the wicked one. And the whole world system out there is under his control. And as soon as we come away from that, of course then we are marked people. The world knows us, don't think for a minute it doesn't. But this is what Paul is admonishing us now, of our own free will. We're not being forced. But the whole plea here is, don't be molded according to this old world, which is in the control of the wicked one. But the opposite is to be transformed. Now again, a lot of times we miss the impact of these words. You realize that again in the Greek, and I'm no Greek scholar, I'm just like the average one of you, or a Sunday school teacher, I don't claim to be a scholar of any sort, shape or form. But we can always pick up a few words here and there that open our eyes. Now this word conformed in Romans 12, is the same word translated transfigured, when Christ was transfigured up there on the Mount of Transfiguration. Now you all know what happened when Peter, James and John, and Jesus went up to the Mount of Transfiguration as we now call it. What happened? He was changed right before their eyes. He took on all the appearances of His glory, and the voice from heaven recognized as such, and said, "...this is my beloved Son, hear ye Him." Now that's the same word that Paul uses here as being transformed. Now we're not going to all of a sudden have that kind of a glorious appearance as Jesus did, but nevertheless another word I think that comes out of the same Greek root is metamorphosis. We are to be metamorphosed. Now what is that? Well when that old ugly cocoon suddenly opens up, and out of that caterpillar comes that beautiful butterfly. Now that's to be the experience of the believer. We are to be transformed, we're to be transfigured, we're to be metamorphosed. We are to be totally changed from what we were before. I had a young lady tell me one time, and she said, I'm sure glad I'm a Christian, because I know I'm bad enough even as a Christian, but what in the world would I be if I weren't? Isn't that the way most of us have to look at it? I can be an ornery critter even as a Christian, but what in the world would I be if I weren't? And you all can say the same thing. But we have been transformed, we have been metamorphosed, just like that cocoon turning into a butterfly. And Paul is reminding us of this. Now listen, you don't expect a butterfly to fly around out there and look like an old vulture, do you? No, you expect that butterfly to be the innocent, fluttering beauty that it is. That's what we're to be. We're to be transformed, we're to be different from what we were before. How does it take place? Not by works. Again I'll go back to the same old illustration that I've used since we were teaching back in Genesis. When your car battery is dead, and you've left the lights on, you don't go out there with a basin of warm soap water and a rag and start cleaning up the outside of that battery. Ridiculous! But that's what people do with the Spirit. They are constantly trying to somehow clean up their own act, somehow do something that will appease God or whatever. But listen, you can wash that battery till doomsday, and you're not going to put a charge into it until you bring in power from an outside source. Well it's the same way here. This is why works religion is as doomed to failure as anything can be, because you cannot go into the invisible part of a man's make-up and touch it. Only God can. No preacher can touch it, no teacher can touch it, no priest can touch it, no denomination can, no religion can. Only one can, and that's God. Because He is the Creator of that invisible part of us. Now the reason I'm coming to the invisible part is because the next word is Mind. Now you all know enough about your physical anatomy that the mind is as real as your hands and feet and eyes. You know it is, or you wouldn't be here. You'd be locked up someplace. But who can see the mind? I've got a pathologist sitting right here in front of me, and he has done beaucoup of autopsies, and I've asked him before, Have you ever seen a person's mind? No. But we know it's in there, or it was while they were living. Now it's in that area of the invisible then, that only God can work. So as the language says, "...but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." It is not that we can renew it, because only God can do that. But God can't do it until when? Until we believe. And then He moves in, and yes, He transforms us, He makes us a person. Now let's turn to another verse of Scripture. II Corinthians chapter 5. II Corinthians chapter 5. Let's start at verse 14. II Corinthians chapter 5, verse 14. And here Paul is writing to that carnal congregation at Corinth. They had a lot of problems. Oh they had problems. They had just recently come out of an immoral, pagan background. They were still having problems with their own morality. But here this letter comes to these people, and here he says in verse 14 of chapter 5, "...and therefore the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, or conclude, that if one died for all, then we're all dead, the whole human race, and that he died for all that they who live." Remember in the last program I spoke of Galatians 2.20? I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me. You've got the same concept here. "...that they who live, spiritually now, as a result of their new birth, should not henceforth, or from that time on, live unto themselves, but unto him who died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth we know no man after the flesh," and of course I'm sure he's reflecting back on Christ's earthly ministry. "...we know no man after the flesh, yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh." In other words Paul was contemporary with Him, he knew Him in his earthly ministry. "...yet now henceforth we know Him no more." And now here comes the verse I wanted. "...therefore if any man," or any person, speaking of the whole human race, "...therefore if any be in Christ, he is a new..." Creature or creation is really a better word. "...old things are passed away, and behold all things are become new." Now that's part of the new birth, that's part of salvation. God has created within us a transformed mind. He is the One that causes the metamorphosis. He is the One who transfigures us from a hell bound sinner, to a heaven bound saint. It's just that simple, and we can't do anything. I'm going to go right back to what I said in the last half hour. All we can do is stand stark naked before a Holy God, and say, "...Lord there's nothing I can do, I can't even move from where I am." And so He moves in, just like He did with Israel on the shores of the Red Sea. I go back to that all the time. My, what did Israel do? Start scavenging the country for driftwood or something that would float? No! God said, "...stand still, don't do anything, don't try to build a bridge, don't try to find something that will float you across, stand still." And that's exactly where the unbeliever has to come to, and that he too can do nothing until God moves in, and performs the miracle of salvation, which in this verse, is He creates within us a whole new mind, will, and emotion. The personality has to be totally recreated. Old Adam has to die. Old Adam with all of its things concerning the world, he has to die. And in his place God, by a miraculous work, will then give us that transformed mind. Now back again to Romans chapter 12. Now once we've had that renewing of the mind, the salvation experience, that creating within us a new man, then we can prove or live out daily what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. You know I've had so many people over the last 25 years say, Les how can I find God's will for my life? And it is a good question, but how do you start? Well first you have to start by becoming a child of His, because God doesn't fool with the unbelieving world. He lets them go. Oh He's waiting for them to respond to His salvation, but He is not in control of their lifestyle. And that carries on even into our own everyday life. You cannot legislate morality. It's just impossible to make laws and pass laws that will force the unsaved world to live a Christian life. It won't happen. But it has to be that act of God that transforms us and makes us that new creation as a result of His work. And then I think all we have to do is just search the Scriptures. You're in an attitude of prayer, you're in an attitude of fellowship with other believers, and God will show you His will. Man I can't claim to have had some great light from heaven. All I was was a victim of circumstances. If you want to put it that way, just circumstances. Doors open, doors closed, doors open, doors closed. And I got to where I am. And I think it's that way with every believer. I don't claim to have had some flashing lights or anything like this. So that's how we come then to that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. Now I'm going to start hurrying on to the end of the Book of Romans. Now here beginning with verse 3, are the various gifts that God has given to every believer. Not all of them. Every believer has at least one of these. Some may be fortunate enough to have two. But it again is going to be according to God's will. We were just talking to Elsie over here, she's visiting from California, and she has that unique gift, I'm beginning to understand, she has that unique gift of approaching people who are usually unapproachable. That's a gift, and I hope she uses it to the full. I remember I've shared it in my classes. I had a young lady when we were still teaching up in Iowa, and we had a Saturday night class in her home. She would just push all of her dining room and living room furniture into one corner, and kids came in 45-50 every Saturday night, college age usually. And then one night after the kids were back in the kitchen having their cokes and sandwiches, which she supplied, she was complaining that she didn't have a gift. I said, are you crazy? How many people could get 45-50 young people in here on a Saturday night, and spend 3 hours singing and studying the Word? I said, that's a gift. She had never thought of it that way before. But that's the way so many of us are. We have that gift, we practice it at times, and we just don't realize what we've got. So don't go looking up your gift or anything like that, but just come down through these, and you're going to say, Hey that's my forte, here's where I'm strong. Hey, put it to work. We'll just skim through them. Verse 4. Ephesians 4. For as we have many members in one body, and all members not the same office. Now I guess I'm going to have to take you back to I Corinthians here. I Corinthians chapter 12, because the book says it so much better than I can. I Corinthians 12. Now Paul is using the analogy or the illustration of a human body. I Corinthians 12. For as the body, our human body, is one, but it hath many members. In other words, we have 10 fingers, 10 toes, 2 eyes, and all those things are called members, but it's one body. So also is Christ, or the body of Christ. And then verse 13. For by one Spirit are we, not just the most spiritual, not just a chosen few, but how many believers? All. All believers are baptized or placed into that one body, the body of Christ. Now it's not a denomination, it's the body of Christ. Whether we be Jew or Gentile, bond or free, we've been all made to drink or partake of that one Spirit. And then he comes back to the physical body again for an illustration. For the body is not one member, but many. And then he uses it. What if the foot should say, well I'm not the hand, I'm not of the body. Is it therefore not of the body? Now he's being ridiculous of course to the extreme to make his point. What if our human foot would say to the mind, leave me alone, I'm not part of you. That's not the way it works. Or your little toe which is usually unseen, and you don't really comprehend it, but lose it. Let it get cut off. Will you miss it? You better believe it. Why? Because that little toe is a part of the body. Now I'll come back to Romans, and this is exactly what Paul is drawing. This illustration of the body of Christ is going to have some members that are just as unseen and are unknown as the little toe is on your foot. But are they important? Oh you better believe it. Absolutely that believer is important. He's a member of the body of Christ. Others are going to be more visible. You're going to have your Billy Graham's and your famous evangelists. Yeah, they're more visible. But are they any more important? No. They're no more important than that believer who is represented in the little toe. And so never sit back and say, Oh God can't use me because I'm a nobody. Hey if you're in Christ, you're a somebody. I had a listener from Minneapolis tell me that the other day. I said, Well I'm just a nobody. And she said, No you're not. You're in Christ. And if you're in Christ, you're somebody. Well on that basis, yeah I'll have to agree. Now then he comes on down in Romans chapter 12. So we, verse 5 being many, are yet one body, and we're all members of another. And now in verse 6 we have gifts differing. See we're not all going to have that same gift. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given unto us. Who's in control of the gift giving? God is. God imparts your particular gift, whether it's great or small. He's the one who is building the body you see. So having gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether it's prophecy. Now you want to remember that it's time Paul was writing these letters. The New Testament hadn't come together yet. The Gospels I don't think were even written. And his letters had not become part of Scripture. So how was God promoting the Word? Through gifted men who spoke forth the Word of God. That's what prophecy means. It doesn't mean telling the future like Isaiah did. But they were gifted men to speak the Word of God. Alright, let's go on to the next one. Seven. Ministry. Now you can have all kinds of ministries. But whatever it is, determine that it's your gift, and put it to use. He that teacheth. Now that's an easier one to understand. Granted not everybody can teach, but a lot more people can than do. Why don't they? Well they're always afraid just like I used to be. I was scared to death to get up in front of even 10 of my own peers when I was a kid. But God overcame that, and I grant. I am not ashamed to say, I know He's given me the gift of teaching. I have no apology for that. But it isn't me, it's Him. And the same way with you. Whatever your gift is, don't ever say, Boy look what I can do. It's just a gift that He has given, and He has designated. Verse 8. Exhortation. Not everybody can exhort somebody without making them mad. I know what it means to exhort someone. Push them. Encourage them. Now a lot of people will rebel at it, if it's from the wrong person. But if you have the gift of exhortation, if you can push people, get after it. This same young lady, very attractive lady, and one of these very same kids who was in that Saturday night class, had started to school at Iowa State University. I didn't get a chance to see him until years and years later. I found out he was in the Lord's full time work. I said, How in the world did it happen? He was a tremendous athlete. His particular high school team had gone to the state tournament. He was a tremendous little athlete. I said, How in the world did you get into the Lord's full time service? He said, Marilyn. I said, What does she have to do with it? He said, She's the one that encouraged me to come out of Iowa State University and go to a good Bible school. She just encouraged me. Well that's what it takes, and as a result there was a life that became productive. Someone who had the gift of exhortation. He that giveth. Now not everybody has that ability. Not everybody has the gift of giving, and I've experienced some that do. They know how to give, and they know when to give. Why? It's a gift. It's a gift that God has given. He that ruleth. Now I think here it's going into the working of the local church. Not everybody has the ability to be a leader in your local church. But if you have that leadership ability, if people are willing to follow you, get after it. Get to work, and give God the credit. He that showeth mercy with cheerfulness. Now you know my wife is a nurse, and she can tell you better than I. Some visitors can come into that hospital room and make people sicker than they were before. Isn't that right? But some can come into that room and make that sick, sick person just feel like a million dollars. What is that? That's a gift. Not everybody can do it. It's certainly not mine, but it is for some. And if that's your gift, get with it. Then you move on. Ephesians 1.2a Now let love, verse 9, which is the very core of Christianity anyway, let it be without dissimulation. Now don't just skim over a big word like that. If you don't know what it means, go get your websters. What does it mean dissimulation? Ok, don�t be hypocritical and be an exercise of your gift with the wealthy and the more cultured people, but you�ve got to be ready to do it with those of low esteem. Don�t sort people out according to where they are in the social strata. Your love has to be without dissimulation. You treat one just like another, and of course the book of James makes that so plain. Now read on. Ephemeral. Which is evil. You see this is one of the failures of Christianity today. Christianity is no longer showing its hatred for evil. They�re rolling with it, they�re condoning it, and they say, �Well you know so what, nothing we can do about it.� Listen we are to never stop abhorring that which is evil. Now I'm not one to point these things out, I never have, because I feel if I teach the Book, and I get people into the Book, they're soon going to see what God calls evil, I don't have to tell you. All you have to do is go back into Leviticus and you can find out real fast all the things that God forbade Israel to do. Well God hasn't changed, those same wicked sins are just as wicked today as they were back then, but it's not in the legal context that it was back then. And so here again we have to abhor those things which are evil, and cleave to that which is good. Now you know we're living in a time where I think western civilization especially, maybe it's the whole world, we are being brainwashed with this whole concept that what is black is white, what is evil is good, and what's good is evil. We are totally seeing our values mixed up, and of course it's a ploy of Satan. That's all part of what I call this end time conspiracy, getting the world ready for the appearance of the Antichrist. Everything we see, this explosion in technology, it's all God's way of letting Satan have his free course. But what's he working for? World government? A world leader? A world religion? And you think it isn't coming? It's so close it should keep you awake at night if it weren't, that we know the Lord is going to come first. I am one that does not believe that you and I are going to go into the tribulation, and so this is our prayer that the Lord will come and take us before this world leader makes his appearance. Boom! Thank you for watching Through the Bible with Les Feldick, a weekly Bible study. If you would like more information about the Les Feldick Ministries, a Bible study in your area, or about this program, write to Les Feldick Ministries, Route 1, Box 760, Kinta, Oklahoma, 74552. That's Route 1, Box 760, Kinta, Oklahoma, 74552. 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